Helene Hahn is a researcher, writer and strategist based in Berlin. Her work explores the impact of digital technologies on human rights, such as access to information and self-determination. She is interested in the ways how government institutions and public organisations facilitate change to become more responsive, transparent and accountable toward society.

Her background is in cultural and social sciences. Currently, she writes her Master’s thesis in “Governance and Human Rights” at Leuphana University’s Professional School.

She works with the German Federal Foreign Office as an independent advisor in the field of culture and education. Following the invitation by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, she participated as an expert in the regional consultations on the right to participate in public affairs. She is a member of the German Open Government Partnership, a network of government representatives and civil society actors that push for national open government priorities and reforms.

Helene serves on the Supervisory Board at Wikimedia Germany where she thinks about strategic directions and community growth as part of the free knowledge movement. As project lead for tech and community projects, she worked with the Open Knowledge Foundation Germany on openness, using advocacy, technology and training to unlock actionable information for the public good.

She is co-founder and former project lead of Coding da Vinci, a highly successful programme that promotes collaboration and free knowledge sharing in the cultural heritage sector. She served as Ambassador for Germany in the Open Knowledge Foundation’s international OpenGLAM network.

Helene is a member of School of Data, a network of data practitioners and trainers working on empowering civil society organisations with skills and knowledge they need to use data effectively. She co-founded and led Datenschule - a training programme designed to help non-profit organisations to make sense of data and digital technologies to amplify their work.